Automobile top



Jan.

E. M. MAXWELL AUTOMOBILE TOP Filed Oct. 4, 1922 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

E-M-MRXWELL,

w wrmagmvfi Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,771

E. M. MAXWELL AUTOMOBILE TOP Filed Oct. 4, 1922- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERASTUS MAXWELL, OF CARDINAL, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNGR 0F ONE-THIRD TO I. K. HEARN AND ONE-THIRD T0 "W. I. CLEMEI ITS, BOTH OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMOBILE TOP.

Application filed, October 4, 1922. Serial No. 592,286.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASTUS M. MAX- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cardinal, in the county of Mathews and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto mobile Tops; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The present invention relates to vehicle tops, especially for automobiles, and aims to improve such tops whereby the side curtains can be conveniently raised and lowered.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of spring rollers for raising the side curtains under the top, for the convenient storage of the side curtains when not in use.

A further object isthe provision of novel means for mounting the spring rollers 1n the frame of the top.

A further object is the provision of means for guiding the side curtains when raised and lowered, whereby they can pass snugly under the top when raised, without being wound on the rollers, and without bending excessively.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means of the kind indicated which will also serve to brace and stiifen the top, in order to make a permanent noncollapsible top, and enabling the foldmg braces of the top frame to be eliminated or removed.

With the foregoing and other objects n view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made with in the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The .invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is aside elevation of thetop with the side curtains down.

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation showing the curtains folded ready to be raised, a portion of the top covering being broken away. I t Fig. 3 is anenlarged cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 3. t

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one oi? the double spring-roller brackets.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the central longitudinal brace, portions being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification. A conventional automobile top is shown, including the bows 11 and 12, with a forwardly inclined peak how 13 carried h the bow 11, and a rearwardly inclined how 15 carried by the bow 12. The bow 13 extends over and is usually secured to the windshield 14, and the usual top covering 16 is secured on the bows 11, 12, 13 and 15. The top has the back 17. At each side there are provided the side curtains .18, 19 and 20, which preferablyhave the Windows 21, and 1n carry1ng out the invention, said side curtains are arranged to be raised and. moved under the covering 16, for convenient storage of the side curtains, and to enable them to be moved into position and out of the way quickly and conveniently.

In order to raise the side curtains, cords 22 or other flexible elements are attached to the upper edges of the side curtains and are connected to spring rollers 23 to be wound thereon, said rollers being arranged in pairs at the longitudinal center of the top immediately under the covering 16 between the intermediate or crown portions of the bows, as seen in Fig. 3. These rollers 23 are similar to ordinary shade rollers, being provided with torsion springs 24 therein between the rollers 23 and the non-rotatable spindles 25, but the rollers do not have catches or dogs to prevent the rotation thereof for winding the cords thereon, as do the ordinary shade rollers, whereby the cords 22 will be wound on the rollers whenever the curtains are free to move upwardly. In order to conveniently fasten the "cords 22 to the curtains, said cords are fastened to rods 26 located in hems 27 with which the upper edges of the curtains are provided, whereby said rods stiffen the upper edges of the curtains, as well as preventing the cords from tearing loose.

The rollers 23 are located between and supported from the crown portions of the bows, by means of sheet metal brackets. including the bracket 28 secured to the how 13, the double brackets 29 secured to the bows 1i and i2, and the bracket secured to the bow 15. These brackets have the upturnei flanges 31 provided with the circular apertures 32 for receiving the rotatable terminal trunnions of the rollers, and the elongated apertures I33 for the reception (if the ilat terminals of the non-rotatable spindles ot the rollers, as well known. The brackets 29 are of double formation, as shown, being secured underneath the bows 1]. and 12, and having the flanges :31 at the opposite sides of the corresponding bows. Pieces 34; are riveted or otherwise secured to the flanges 31 and have the spring fingers 131O}{Ci111g over the apertures 32 and S3 to bear down on the terminal members of the rollers, in order to prevent rattling.

In order to guide the curtains when raised and lowered, transversely curved guide plates 3'6 are secured to the inner sides of the bows at the corners or bends thereof, and the curtains pass over and bear slidably on said plates. Similar plates 3 7 are also preferably secured on the outer sides of the bows over the corner portions or bends thereof. and the plates 36 and 37 provide slots through which the curtains pass. These plates are rigidly tastened at their ends to the bows ll, 12, 13 and 15, thereby stitl'ening and bracing the frame or" the top, in order that the ordinary folding braces between the bows can be eliminated or re moved, making the top a permanent one which will not collapse.

Each roller 23 extends from one how to the other bow between which the roller is located, and the cords 22 are secured to the rollers between the ends thereof so as to wind helically on the rollers, as seen in Fi 2 and This permits the side curtains to be shifted longitudinally without disturbing the winding of the cords on the rollers. By securing the cords to the rollers at points offset longitudinally with reference to the points of the curtains to which the cords are attached, the cords will wind helically on the rollers, thereby reducing the space required should the cords be wound spirally on the rollers.

It is also preferable to provide a lining 38 under the bows below the covering 16, to conceal the curtains when they are raised, such curtains being drawn into the spaces between the covering 16 and lining 38, and said lining also concealing the rollers 23. The lining 38 is only shown in Fig. 8, being omitted from the other figures for sake of clearness of illustration.

In order that the curtains can be conveniently pulled downwardly and their upward ll'lOVQlllQIlt controlled by hand, curved handles 39 are secured to the curtains near their lower edges, being arranged in pairs at the outer and inner sides oi? the curtains. The handles will also serve as stops to limit the movement of the curtains under the over ing 16, inasmuch as the handles will contact with the lower edges of the plates 36 and 31', as seen in Fig. The edges of the covering 16 and lining 38 preferably hang slightly below the plates 536 and S7, to conceal the lower edge portions ol the curtains when they are raised.

The curtains are provided with the usual button-ho] .lO to engage studs or lgmttona carried 3 the body of the vehicle, whereby the curtains can be held down in place and in overlapping relation, as seen in Fig. 1. i

In order to stiffen and brace the top frame, assisted by the plates 36 and 37, a longitudinal central brace 49 is used, being formed from sheet metal. Said brace is of T-shaped cross-section, and has the depending web 43 and the flanges 4:4. Said brace extends across the crown portions of the bows intermediate the sides of the top, and the web 43 is cut away, as at -15, where the brace extends over the bows and roller brackets, and the flanges 44. are secured to the bows by screws or other securing elements. The flanges 44- have the extensions 46 at their ends for attachment on the bows 13 and 15.

Inasmuch as the side curtains are overlapped at their adjacent edges, as well as overlapping the wind-shield l4 and back 17, the curtains have the vertical fold lines 47, permitting some of the side edge portions of the curtains to be folded back. as seen in Fig. 2', whereby the curtains can pass upwardly between the crown portions of the bows. The curtains have snap or glove fasteners 48 or other means for fastening the portions of the curtains tOQQlTl'lQl, when folded. hen the curtains arethus folded. as seen in Fig. 2, and also detached from the body, the cords 22 being wound on the spring rollers 23 will raise the curtains, and they are pulled over the plates 36 under the covering 16 over the lining 38, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to be out of: the way. for convenient storage, as well as permitting the curtains to be pulled down quickly and conveniently for closing the sides of the top when desired.

By using the present device, the top is made a permanent no-collapsible one, and the usual holding braces between the bows can be eliminated or removed.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modification in which a single plate 36 is used at each side, extending from the front to the rear bow across the intermediate bows, instead of using individual plates between the bows, as shown in Fig. 1-. Fig. 7 also shows the end portions of the peak how 13' cut off, inas- Ttl What is claimed as new is A vehicletop including transverse bows, a covering thereon, longitudinal spring rollers supported from the crown portions of said bows intermediate the side portions of said bows, side curtains, cords connected to the curtains and rollers at longitudinally spaced points so that the cords wind helically on the rollers between the ends thereof, and transversely curved plates secured to the bows within the corner portions thereof between the crown and side portions of the bows, said plates bracing the bows and guiding the cords and curtains over the plates between the side and crown portions of the bows the side curtains when lowered being shiftable longitudinally to bring the edges of the curtains at the opposite sides together, and the curtains being shiftable and foldable in order that they may move over said plates and between the crown portions of the bows.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERASTUS M. MAXWELL. 

